The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-07-01
rhe Bride Of Arne Sandstrom
BY NJ. II. cArllERwoop.

Big Swede wedding over there this
evening"" said one American to an
other by his side. "Peter Lund's
daughter"
is she marrying a swede?" inquired
the second American.
YES; fellow by the name OF Arne
Sandstrom."
II should think old Peter, well Off
as he is. would nave stood up for an
American son-inlaw-you or me, for
instance" observed the second youth,
with laugh.
1.-THE girls pretty as a pink, and
has had every advantage. 1t is e.
pity TO see her thrown away; but old
Peter has u lot OF younger ones COM
ing on"
"That makes it less an object. /
thought she was his only. The Swedes
are clannish-ain't they?"
"Peter Lund's is headquarters for
them, too. Here's one now, huati:,g
up the wedding. I'll bet she's just ar
rived from the cid country"
Aoo iiCoL CAS lIutil WhS GulS SuTIllSG
that Elsa had been off the train only
twenty minutes, and in that time had
repeated the name OF Arne Sandstrom
interrogatively to every person she
met. She was dased by long riding
and partial iasting, aud the dumb
terror OF finding no one to receive her
at the end OF her great journey. The
letter created with much brain work
to announceh her coming ought to have
been in his hands weeks ago. The in
nocent and iriendless soul did not
know she had omitted all dates and
exactness in her general care for spell
ing and inky loops. So, stepping off
the train into the American small town
at dusk, she sawstreches OF summer
prairie to the westward, perky archl-
lecture, crossing railroad tracks, hur.
rying citizens and lazy loungers-even
the new electric light on its spider.
work iron tower beginning to make q
CHASTITY powerful star far above her
head. She saw baggage and piles of
express matter, hotel runners and
other women starting toward their as
sured homes tucked laughing and
chatting under their husbands arms;
but she saw not one lace or one kind
hand ready to bid her welcome, who
had ventured thousands of miles alone
across ocean, across continent-to
marry her bethrothed lover, Arne
Sandstrom.
Hearing his NAME spoken, shestood
still upon the sidewalk, shrinking and
timid, but directly in front OF the
young men, and inquired, using hands
and eyes as well as anxious infection
OF voice, "Arne Sandstrom?"
"She wants to know where he is"
explained one American to the other.
Right over there; that big house," he
returned, talking also with gestures,
"where you SEQ it lighted up. She
doesn't understand. Arne Sandstrom
over there. Getting married! Yes, yes.
Arne sandstrom. Here, Billy, you
trot out a little Swede gibberish, can't
you? You've been among them more
than / have"
"Arne Sandstrom dsrover," ex-
claimed the other, pointing to Peter
Lund's house, with a fine assumption
OF handling the language we'll fArns
Sandstrom jifta tonight, you know"
"Yifta!" said Elsa, shrinking down
in stature,
"she's got hold of it. That's all
right, You'll be in time for the we'd
ding"
"She didn't understand; and she
thought we were making fun OF her,"
said one Of the lads as they sauntered
on.
"She did understand, and there
she goes straight across the street.
Brush up in thelanguages, young man,
and make yourself as useful to the
public as ] am"
premises. however, she did not ling
the bell, but wavered around the house,
looking up at the lighted windows,
and shifting her little bundle from one
arm to the other. She had other bag
gage at the station, but it seemed no
lonter worth while. There was a west
ern veranda, on tho lowest step of
which she sat down in a quiet stupor
to collect herself for some determined
movement.
Anguish and disappointment must
be the natural lot in this world, only
sha had not lived enough years to find
it out before. Though summer dark.
ness had come, the after glow was
still SO bright in the west that it halt
quarreled with the abundant lamp
light. Elsa could hear the front gate,
the crunch OF coming footsteps and
frequent peals of the door bell, as she
sat drawn together, and the eternal
minutes Travelled on.
Peter Lund's house was full OF 10y
f,,1 OF rk;,,, III. 4
the open dining room, where several
women were putting last touches to
the tables. Girls flew up and down
the back stairway, calling to one an
other in Swedish.
"One thing is sure, Yennie Yonsen, :"
called voice in the home tongue,
"there willnot beenough married wom-
en- to take the bride from us girls in
the wedding dance; so now what will
AIne Sandstrom do?"
Three OF them conspired together by
the western dining.room door. bobbmg
their flaxen heads. ali laughing and
talking at once in theirl light happiness,
far above the unseen stranger on the
step.
"Who told me Arne Sandstrom left
betrothed girl in Svadia?" said one,
lowering her voice to grave colloquy.
"Oh, well, she married herself, OF
course" replied another; land any
man who could get Lena Lund would
take her."
"Lena's so pretty"
''Lena's rich"
LENA can sing and play better than
eome Amerikanns."
LENA has ten new dresses. Arne
will not have to put his hand in his
pocket for many day"
"she is not spoiled Herewith. al
ways liked her.''
"Ah, my mother said if this wedding
was going to be in Svadia this St.
Johns Eve, what night we would
make of it!''
They ran away, while Elsa repeated
to herself that this was the Eve st.
Iohn-night of arbors and rejoicing at
home, night when thesun scarcely went
down, and everybody feasted and Wis
tied under green-leaf tents. OF what
use was st. Johns Eve, or any other
portion OF time,to girl put to shame
and despair as she was2 Why had
Arne Sandstrom sent her money to
como over with il he meant to tilt her on